President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill into law ending an Obama-era policy that ordered school lunch programs to offer only reduced-fat milk.
The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act passed Congress in December. Under the new law, schools that are part of the National School Lunch Program can now offer whole and 2% milk in addition to the low- and zero-fat options that were already on the menu.
Speaking to Scripps News on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called the overhaul of milk guidelines the "next step" in the administration's changes to food recommendations, which could ultimately affect the nation's economy and military readiness.
"We have the highest chronic disease in American history. We're spending more on our healthcare costs than ever before. $0.90 of every dollar of health care cost goes to a chronic disease issue. And what we have seen is it all goes back to what we're eating — or at least a lot of it does. So Secretary Kennedy and I, with President Trump's vision in effectuating that, is really working to change that, especially those kids from marginalized communities, more vulnerable populations that may not have access to the best, healthiest food," Rollins said.
"Today is just one more step getting whole milk back into schools which have been proven for brain growth and activity and energy and bone strength. It's just so important."
MORE HEALTH NEWS | New US dietary guidelines urge more protein, fewer ultraprocessed foods
The changes follow a reorganization of the FDA's dietary guidelines earlier in January. Those changes called for higher protein intake and reduced consumption of ultraprocessed foods.
The guidelines encourage choosing whole foods — such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains — over those that are processed, refined or high in added sugar.
"What we're finding is a whole generation of Americans, especially younger Americans, age 18 through 24, three out of four of those are not military-ready," Rollins said. "They could not pass a military readiness test, the level of obesity, the level of diabetes and prediabetes for that entire generation, research is showing is going back to a diet that focused on processed foods and ultra processed foods — instead of, you know, focusing on whole real food, which is what we're trying to change here."
